The PEACE (Psychedelic Experiences And Cancer Evaluation) Study

This project is suitable for an Honours student starting in Q1 2025 or could expand for a PhD student.

Background

After receiving a cancer diagnosis, many patients and their caregivers live with emotional distress, often lacking access to meaningful psychosocial interventions. One potential avenue to bridge this gap in care is psychedelic-assisted therapy. This therapeutic approach involves the use of psychedelic drugs in conjunction with talk therapy in a safe setting to treat mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, existential distress, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite the growing body of evidence suggesting potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelics for cancer-related adjustment disorders and pain, there is a lack of population-based data on cancer patients’ and carers’ attitudes and experiences with these substances.

Aim/s

The aim of this study is to investigate cancer patients’ and carers’ beliefs, interest, patterns of use, and perspectives on the health effects of psychedelics substances and other novel supportive therapies.

Method

This mixed-methods study will entail a naturalistic survey of a registry-based sample of Queensland cancer patients and their caregivers, complemented by qualitative interviews with a subset of participants.

Project Potential

This project offers an opportunity for the student to engage in the design and analysis of quantitative cross-sectional data, as well as qualitative interviews and analysis. The student will play a pivotal role in synthesising the findings for scientific publication.